Im new in computer building... I have some cpu installation question

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[DeerParkWater]

Cooling for the p4 should just be a heatsink and fan that is designed to handle the 2.8 ghz. I recently bought a heatsink and fan that was designed for processor speeds of under 3.0 ghz for $40.

I don't think you can necessarily ruin a processor by adding too much, but adding too little will cause the heat to stay inside the processor, thus frying it. They recommend that you add a thin film. As long as you aren't caking the stuff on, it should be fine.

 

[Praetor]

I don't think you can necessarily ruin a processor by adding too much,

Based on the context of your response I'm assuming you mean "adding too much thermal paste" ... in that case, you can seriously degrade the thermal contact between the CPU and HSF by having too much... the heat "gets into the blob of paste" and "selfconducts" thus keeping the majority of the heat there rather than moving it to the HSF

 

[Corsair]

Im kind of in the same boat (As far as being a new computer builder). On my second computer I put a thin film of the paste and had trouble with overheating. I took it off and put on a thicker film of the stuff and now it works fine. Definately did not cake the stuff though.